


Things We Lost to Logic

by canufeelthemagictonight



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Aftermath, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anger, Angst, Angst and Feels, Consequences, Face Slapping, Feelings, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Logic, MRS is a good trio overall, Matt is a good friend, Non-Canonical Character Death, Past Character Death, Safiya lives but At What Cost, Survivor Guilt, different death order, have I mentioned that I love Safiya today?, it's Manny fyi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 11:45:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16095008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canufeelthemagictonight/pseuds/canufeelthemagictonight
Summary: The truth has plagued Safiya throughout her time in Everlock: as the night goes on, more and more blood stains the cuffs of her red sweater.The plot goes untwisted. Safiya Nygaard lives to accept the consequences of her choice.An Escape the Night AU.





	Things We Lost to Logic

**Author's Note:**

> It is a truth universally acknowledged by the Escape the Night fandom that Safiya Nygaard did not deserve what she got. I started writing about an alternate scenario where she lived, and this happened. It's still sad.

"Matt," asks Rosanna, "do you feel funny?"

Matt laughs nervously. "Why do you think it's _me?"_

"I'm just checking!" Rosanna insists. "I still love you!"

Safiya can't help but chuckle at this, even though the circumstances of what's happening are nothing to chuckle about. Not only are Nikita and Manny fighting to the death as they speak, but apparently, the Carnival Master has corrupted one among them. But who?

It's not Safiya. If it _had_ been her, she would've felt something. Rosanna's behavior and personality haven't changed at all. Neither have Manny's, or Nikita's, or even Matt's, despite his resurrection. _What if it's Joey?_ Safiya frowns, considering the idea. _What if Colleen was right all along, and he lured us here to kill us?_

Footsteps stomp against the ground. Someone's coming.

For the second time that night, Nikita appears around the corner, but she's not the conquering hero that she was the first time around. This time, angry tears trickle down her pretty face, her shoulders shake with grief, and she seems to be trying to crush the lightbulb in her hands. She reminds Safiya of a shattered stained-glass window. 

Manny isn't with her. Safiya fills in the blanks on her own.

"Nikita," breathes Matt. "So that means…"

Nikita freezes, then squints at the other guests through beady, broken eyes. Finally, she speaks. Her voice is flat, yet frightening. "Who did it?"

"Did what?" Joey asks.

"Who voted for him?" Nikita's glare travels from Rosanna to Safiya and back again. "I _know_ it was one of you two bitches. Fess up. _Now."_

Rosanna looks like she's going to cry again. She opens her mouth, no doubt to beg for Nikita's forgiveness.

Safiya's protective instincts kick in at just the right time.

"It was me," says the dark-haired Investigative Reporter, turning to face the blonde Troublemaker. "I convinced Ro that voting for you and Manny was the most logical option. I had nothing against either of you. I was only thinking of the team." Her eyes travel to the floor. "I'm sorry, Nikita."

Rosanna's eyes well up with tears. "Saf…"

Nikita lunges for Safiya and slaps her across the face. The impact stings Safiya's cheek. She staggers backwards, shocked but not surprised.

Matt leaps to her defense. "Nikita! That was uncalled for! She said she was sorry! Leave her alone!"

"Sorry doesn't fix it!" Nikita sob-screams. "That fucking four-faced Willy bitch _gutted_ my best friend, right in front of me, and it's all _her_ fault! _She's_ the reason why he's gone!”

She's right. The truth has plagued Safiya throughout her time in Everlock: as the night goes on, more and more blood stains the cuffs of her red sweater. She saved Teala, which killed Jc, only for Teala to die anyway due to a team challenge that they could've won. Then, Colleen was murdered by the whole group, and her screams still haunt Safiya's ears. Now, another friend is dead. Safiya might've been able to justify it with logical thinking, but the fact is, _her_ actions condemned Manny to the Funhouse Man's fishhook. She's going to have to live with that for the rest of her life.

But for now, she _has_ to focus on keeping what's left of the group alive. The guilt can wait until tomorrow. Maybe.

"Enough fighting, okay?" Joey shouts. "This is exactly what they want us to do. They want us to be against each other! We have to come together!"

"Whatever," growls Nikita. "Here's your stupid lightbulb." She shoves it at Joey, who takes it and goes to cleanse the artifact. Matt and Rosanna follow him. Nikita hangs back, crying quietly, darkness and despair clouding her eyes like the beginnings of a thunderstorm.

Part of Safiya screams to leave Nikita alone, to not poke the bear, but part of her doesn't want their friendship to end with a slap. That part wins out. "Nikita," she says in a soft voice that only the blonde can hear, "I don't expect you to forgive me..."

"I _don't,"_ hisses Nikita before Safiya can finish her sentence. "You're _dead."_

_On second thought, our friendship is probably a lost cause at this point._

Safiya still has Matt and Rosanna on her side, and she's grateful for that, but she knows in her heart that their love won't be enough to protect her from the future. The combination of Nikita's wrath and the fact that Safiya has yet to be in a death challenge will _ensure_ that she is selected for the next one. She'll just have to trust her skills and hope for the best.

For a moment, she wonders if, perhaps, she _was_ corrupted after all.

She lets the thought slide.

**Author's Note:**

> Some fix-it _this_ is, hahahahaha.


End file.
